


Ties That Bind

by alexis (of_too_minds)



Category: Dark Angel
Genre: F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-02-08
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:06:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1173962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/of_too_minds/pseuds/alexis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We are who we love. And who we hate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place before Dawg Day Afternoon. No runes, no second coming, no “Chosen One”.

FEBRUARY 2021, SEATTLE

 

Original Cindy waited by the apartment door, hands on hips, one foot tapping an impatient staccato. Saturday night. Girls’ night at Crash. Well, girls’ night plus Sketchy. And Max was late. As usual. Cindy huffed a loud sigh and turned her attention to her manicure. Her eyes narrowed. Vixen Red might not have been the best choice for her skin tone. Maybe she should have gone with Scarlet Harlot.

 

Max came barrelling out of her room, shoving her arms in her black leather jacket as she went.

 

Cindy scanned her top to toe and rolled her eyes.  Max looked down at herself. She was wearing tight black jeans, a tight black tank top, and black boots. Pretty much her usual outfit. She frowned. “What?”

 

Cindy rolled her eyes again and added a sniff and a despairing shake of the head. “It’s Saturday night, boo! Ya need ta put sumthin on wit a little more ummph! to it.”

 

It was Max’s turn to roll her eyes. “Maybe I’m not in the mood to get all tarted up and stared at like a piece of meat.”

 

“Yeah, but you’d have a lot more fun if you did,” Cindy smirked.

 

Max gave her a dirty look. “The less skin showing, the less likely I’ll kill Logan,” she said bitterly.

 

Cindy put out a hand to stop Max from storming past. “Boo, I’m just sayin.”

 

“Well don’t.” Max snapped. She closed her eyes and blew out a deep breath. She’d been in a crappy mood for weeks, ever since the last lead they had on a Manticore tech got them nowhere closer to a cure. “Sorry. I’m just so friggin' tired of worrying that I’m gonna kill the guy every time I see him, you know. This sucks! I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

 

Cindy shrugged. “So don’t. Maybe you oughta let it go.”

 

Max gaped at her best friend in surprise. Original Cindy had always pushed Max to ‘get busy’ with Logan. Was she seriously suggesting Max just end it between them?

 

Yeah. Right. And Lucifer was off building a snowman. “Funny,” Max snapped and went to push past her best friend.

 

Cindy tugged on Max’s arm. “Boo… ya got a whole life to live. But what yer doing now ain’t exactly living. Someday yeah, you’ll find a cure and be wit yer man. But until that happens, yagotta get out and have a little fun. Stop moping.”

 

Right on cue, a knock sounded at the door. Dazed, Max opened it to find Alec slumped against the doorjamb in that boneless way of his. He was dressed in black jeans and a black leather jacket. His deep green t-shirt made his hazel eyes pop emerald. His hair was carefully mussed. Bed head. Sexy bed head. Much as she hated to admit it, he looked gorgeous. Max shook that thought away.

 

“Hello ladies,” he purred as he brushed past Max and stepped into the apartment. He sauntered over to her Ninja and fingered the grip.

 

“What do you want? And don’t touch my bike.” Max crossed her arms and glared at him. She suppressed the impulse to wipe his fingerprints off her baby.

 

He turned to face her, a wicked grin on his face. “You’re always bragging about your bike. Care to prove it?”

 

Max raised her eyebrows and said in disbelief, “You wanna race.”

 

“You up for it?” His eyes twinkled with mischief. Max had never noticed the tiny flecks of gold in his eyes before. She found herself mesmerized by the way they caught the light.

 

Original Cindy’s voice cut into her reverie. “Show him what’s what, boo. Catch ya later.” She slipped out the door, unnoticed by the two superbeings tossing a dare across the width of the apartment with their eyes.

 

“The rules?” Max challenged.

 

“There are no rules,” Alec smirked. “Not with you.”

 

Max laughed.

 

It was fast and it was dirty. Neither won. It didn’t matter. It was what it was.

 

Without thinking about it, Max led Alec to the Needle. Her special place. The place she came to be alone.

 

Alec walked to the very edge and stared down, unafraid of the long drop. He threw his arms wide and let the wind buffet him. Max laughed and joined him – the two of them standing poised on the brink, defying gravity and the world and each other.

 

Eventually they stepped back and sat on the sloping roof. Alec pulled a micky of scotch from his pocket and took a long swig. He offered it to Max. She shrugged and took a sip. It made her cough as it burned its way down her throat, but then the warmth settled in her stomach and radiated outwards. It felt good. She took another pull and handed the bottle back to Alec, pleased by the fact that she wouldn’t kill him by sharing a drink with him.

 

Such a small thing, and yet it wasn’t.

 

Alec stared reflectively at the amber liquid. “I ever tell you about the first time I got drunk on this stuff?”

 

Max shook her head.

 

“Routine surveillance mission, rotating shifts. Me and another X-5, you don’t know him, he got killed on a mission last year, anyway we’re off duty and we’re crashing in this upscale hotel suite, and I notice there’s a fully stocked bar in the corner. So I figure, why not. We gotta pass for human, right? I mean, what full-blooded young male wouldn’t check out the mini bar?” He chuckled and shook his head. “We got so drunk we could barely stand. And in walks Lydecker for a routine inspection.”

 

Max jaw dropped and she stared at him, wide eyed. “Ohmigod. What happened? What did you do?”

 

Alec grinned and said, “I offered him a drink.”

 

“No way,” Max said in disbelief. Not even Alec would be that stupid.

 

“What else was I supposed to do?” Alec laughed. “You should’ve seen his face.”

 

Max burst out laughing. She could just imagine the expression on Lydecker’s pinched face.

 

“Man, was he pissed!. I was in solitary for two weeks.” He shuddered involuntarily. He told her the story to make her laugh, but now he couldn’t stop himself from remembering how Manticore punished soldiers who stepped out of line.

 

Suddenly Max was reminded of the night she ran into Ben up here. A cold shiver ran down her back. For one brief second Alec had the same tortured look in his eyes that she’d seen that night in Ben. Grief and guilt hammered at her. Ben was dead because of her. And here sat Alec, wearing his dead brother’s face. She scrambled to her feet. “I gotta bounce,” she said over her shoulder as she bolted for the stairs.

 

“Max!” Alec called out, but she was already gone. “And she’s off. The incredible disappearing girl.” With a sigh he flung himself back against the sloping roof and stared up into the night sky.

 

 

~*~

 

 

MARCH 2021, SEATTLE

 

Max eyed Alec over the top of her beer glass and wondered, not for the first time, how she ended up spending all of her free time with him.

 

And why.

 

He annoyed the hell out of her. He never took anything in life seriously. He didn’t even try to pretend that he wanted a normal life.

 

He was also one of the very few people Max ever felt completely relaxed around. He was the only person who could make her laugh and forget about all the problems in her messed up life. That was the one thing about him that still reminded her of Ben. When they were little and things got too rough, Ben would entertain her by making shadow puppets on the barrack walls. Alec told her outrageous stories, or irritated her into punching him. The means differed, but the intent was the same.

 

Max fought her feline curiosity all night. It was a losing battle. She drained her beer in one gulp and said in a rush, “I haven’t seen you chatting up the girls lately.”

 

“Keeping tabs on me, Maxie? Y’know, if you’re so concerned about my sex life, we could always go back to my place,” Alec smirked, eyeing her suggestively.

 

Max punched him on the shoulder, a knee-jerk reaction to his sarcastic remark. He plastered a mock hurt look on his face and rubbed his shoulder. Another knee jerk reaction. It was their thing.

 

“Seriously. I’ve been a bitch to you. So why are you hanging out with me?” And in case she gave away too much and made him think she cared, Max quickly added, “What’s in it for you?”

 

Alec stared at her for a second with the oddest expression on his face. She couldn’t be certain in the dim light of the bar but she thought she’d seen that same look at times on Logan’s face the year they spent pretending they ‘weren’t like that’. Then Alec smirked and the resemblance disappeared.

 

“Because if it weren’t for me, you’d never have any fun at all,” he joked.

 

He jumped off his stool and held out his hand. “C’mon Maxie, dance with me,” he said and yanked her to her feet. He dragged her protesting onto the dance floor. The beat was relentless, and he was surprisingly good. He pumped his hips to the beat, tongue curled provocatively behind his teeth. He looked so damn sexy. Somehow, in spite of herself – or was it to spite herself? – Max found the beat and started moving to the music. And then Alec’s hands were on her hips, grinding her against him, timing her movements with his.

 

Their bodies fit together, a perfect match. Max shook that thought away, too.

 

 

~*~

 

 

APRIL 2021, SEATTLE

 

The rain was coming down hard. It ran in channels down the road and made puddles like small ponds at street corners. Alec chased Max through the gloom. She could almost feel his breath hot on the back of her neck. She swerved hard right, dodging between two burnt out cars and headed for the opposite side of the street. She splashed through a puddle. It hid a dip in the road and was deeper than she’d anticipated, and it slowed her down by half a second. Forewarned, Alec expertly vaulted the puddle. He was gaining on her. Max swore, eyes scanning for an escape route. Alec stretched out his hand to grab her jacket but she put on a burst of speed and darted down an alley. She would have eluded him then, but came up against a brick wall. She’d hit a dead end.

 

Alec was behind her, outstretched arms blocking her way. Max stood poised to run, her weight balanced on the balls of her feet. He smirked at her. “Face it, Maxie. You’re  _It_.”

 

She laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulders. “You still have to tag me.” 

 

She faked left and tried to slip under his arm, but he was ready for her. He spun and lunged and caught her sleeve. Her foot skidded on a wet newspaper, and she lost her balance and fell back into his arms. 

 

Above them, thunder rolled. Lightning crackled and illuminated her breathless, laughing face. Beyond thought, Alec bent his head and kissed her. Her lips were cold and tasted of rain. Her mouth opened under his in a small “o” of surprise. Alec ran his tongue along her full bottom lip and delved into her mouth. His tongue tangled with hers sent a shiver down Max’s spine. Instinctively her arms curled around his back, one hand slid into his hair. She kissed him back, and now it was her turn to explore, to taste him on her tongue. He ground his hips against hers. She could feel his desire hard against her hip. Her own need was an empty ache inside. Clothes were an impediment. She wanted his hands on her bare flesh; she wanted to feel his weight on top of her. 

 

She tore herself away from his lips and his arms. His eyes darkened with pain. She reached for him with both hands and grabbed his shirt and stepped backwards down the alley, pulling him with her, a promise in her eyes. He took her hand and ran with her through the rain. Max refused to think or to reconsider. She ached for him and she let that fill her, blocking everything else out.

 

Max jumped into Alec’s arms as he struggled with his key. She wrapped his legs around his waist, and bit him on the neck. Alec groaned and turned so that she was pressed between him and the door. He devoured her, kissing her cheek and jaw and throat. He fumbled blindly with the doorknob until the door finally gave way. They shed their sodden clothes as they stumbled towards his bedroom. Eager hands and lips caressed bare flesh. She fell backwards across the bed and he fell onto her, and she arched her back to meet his thrust.

 

By morning the storm had blown itself out. The sun was shining. It was a beautiful day. Max slipped out of bed and into one of Alec’s t-shirts. It smelled like him. A smug smile played about her lips.

 

Her musings were interrupted by a knock at the door. Alec was in the shower, so Max padded across the room on bare feet to answer it. She opened the door to find Logan on the other side.

 

She stopped breathing. Logan stared at her in shock. He took in the sight of her, dressed only in Alec’s shirt, her legs bare. He could see their clothing scattered on the floor, still lying where they’d dropped it in their impatience. A look of such hurt and sorrow crossed his face that Max winced as if struck. He opened his mouth but no words came out. The silence stretched out between them. The ticking of the clock boomed like cannon fire. Behind her Alec came into view, shirtless, his hair still wet from his shower.

 

“You bastard,” Logan whispered. He shook his head in denial, and backed away, and fled.

 

Max shut the door and walked past Alec, unseeing, and collapsed on the sofa. There was a blank look of shock on her face. Her eyes darted wildly around the room. 

 

“It’s over, isn’t it,” Alec asked grimly. Max didn’t answer him. As if he wasn’t even in the room. It was over before it had even begun. He turned and snatched his shirt from the floor and bolted. The door slammed shut behind him. 

 

When his feet hit the pavement he took off running. He headed for Bradley Park and lost himself among the trees. He tried to run her out of his system. He was haunted by her – her mischievous smile, the sound of her laughter, the taste of her lips, the feel of her silken hair sliding through his fingers, the gleam of her flesh in the moonlight. But she ran with him, part of his blood, his skin, his heart. He stopped and leaned panting against a tree. He punched it, but it was old and strong and didn’t yield. The bark scraped his knuckles. He flung himself to the grass, his head cushioned in his arms. He stared up at the sky, his eyes narrowed against the morning sun. Its brightness mocked him.

 

Long moments passed as he lay there waiting, though he wasn’t sure what he waited for. His answer came with the swish of her footsteps in the grass. She sat cross-legged beside him. To find him so quickly she must have followed him and not Logan. He didn’t know if that was a good thing. His heart was bruised by the very sight of her. He loved her.

 

“Don’t walk away because of him, Max. If you want to be with me, then be with me.” Alec slammed his lips shut. He. Would. Not. Beg.

 

“Logan once told me that the universe is right on schedule and that everything happens for a reason…” Max shrugged. She pulled up a handful of grass and let it drift away on the wind. “I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a nice thought. Comforting.”

 

Alec risked the pain. “I love you, Maxie,” he whispered.

 

She nodded and lay down beside him, her head pillowed on his chest. He breathed in the scent of her hair. His heart pounded in her ear.

 

“I think I love you too,” she whispered to the bright blue sky.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

JULY 2021, SEATTLE

 

Morning was well on its way by the time Max waltzed into her apartment. She’d spent (another!) memorable night with Alec and had only just left his place. She really ought to leave some of her things there. It was a rare occasion when she made it back home with more than just enough time to shower and change before work.

 

Original Cindy raised one delicate eyebrow. “You just getting home now, boo?” Max shrugged and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Damn, that’s sum wild monkey lovin' you two got goin on.”

 

Max laughed. “Well they did give us greater stamina y’know,” she winked.

 

Cindy made a face and held up her hand, palm out. “Original Cindy does not need the gory details.” She shoved a plate of toast into Max’s hands. “Here boo, you gotta keep your strength up.”

 

Max wrinkled her nose at the smell of food. She managed one tentative bite of her breakfast before she gagged and dashed for the bathroom. She came back to the kitchen a few minutes later, rubbing her lips to remove the unpleasant taste. “Musta ate something that disagrees with me.”

 

Cindy eyed curiously. “Boo, you threw up yesterday too. Maybe you ain’t sick.”

 

Max went pale and stared at her in disbelief. Instinctively her hands moved to cover her lower abdomen. “Oh God I can’t be,” she whispered. “What do I do?” 

 

“Find out fer sure,” OC said reasonably.

 

“I can’t go to a hospital, OC!” Max protested.

 

“So go see Logan’s doc then. What's his name… Sam?”

 

“Sam’s a neurosurgeon. I doubt he knows much about babies…”  Max started pacing the kitchen. “Maybe, maybe Dr. Shankar can help me. At least she won’t be shocked by my lab results.” 

 

“Ya gonna tell your boy?”

 

“NO!” Max whirled around, eyes wide her pale face. “Not yet. Promise me you won’t tell him.” 

 

“Aiight, but ya know, ya can’t keep it a secret for long. Your boy’s gonna know sumthin’s up.”

 

“You mean it won’t go away if I close my eyes real tight and make a wish?”

 

Cindy hugged Max. “Ya want me to come with?” 

 

Max shook her head. “That’s ok. I’ll be fine.” She attempted a crooked smile. “‘Sides, one of us needs to keep our job.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Max delivered every package Normal handed her without a single sarcastic comment. By mid-afternoon Normal was lecturing her on insubordination at every opportunity. Not that she even noticed. Every scrap of energy and concentration was focused on trying to sense if her body felt any different. Questions whirled around and around her tired brain. What kind of mother would she be? What would Alec think? Would the baby even look human? All that cat DNA in their cocktails… what if it had a tail?

 

She knocked off work as soon as she reasonably could without getting fired on the spot and headed for the clinic. Fortunately Dr Shankar was on duty.

 

“Max,” she exclaimed in surprise. “What are you doing here? Has the virus…”

 

“It’s not Logan. It’s me. I need to see you. Today. Please, it’s really important,” Max pleaded, wringing her hands.

 

Dr Shankar gave her a puzzled look. She couldn’t imagine why Max would need a doctor – she was never sick and she didn’t look wounded. “Okay.  Give me 20 minutes.  I’ll squeeze you in.”

 

Max sighed in relief. Not knowing was unendurable. She paced the waiting room, too nervous to sit.  Finally Dr Shankar summoned her and escorted her to an empty exam room. Max perched on the edge of the exam table. She took a deep breath and said “I, um, I think I might be pregnant.”

 

“Ahh, that explains it. Okay, well, I’ll can take some blood today and run a test. But I’ll have to do it after hours, so I won’t be able to let you know until tomorrow.”

 

“Tomorrow?” Max said, her heart sinking. She wasn’t sure she could wait that long without jumping out of her skin.

 

“The only way to get it done faster is to let a lab tech run the test,” Dr Shankar pointed out reasonably.

 

Max nodded glumly and pushed up her sleeve to let Dr Shankar draw a blood sample. When she was finished she patted Max on the shoulder. “I know it’s hard, but try and get some rest.”

 

Max snorted. Sleep would be impossible. She called Alec and blew off their date, claiming OC had an urgent female situation and needed company. He was disappointed but laughed it off. Max spent the night roaming the streets on her Ninja. The monotony of the ride soothed her nerves. Long after midnight she passed Fogel Towers. A light was still burning in Logan’s penthouse. There was a time when she would have dropped by even if the lights were out on the off chance that Logan was still awake. But it had been months since she’d done that, and tonight certainly wasn’t the time to start again. She looked away and sped off.

 

Dr Shankar paged her shortly after 9 the next morning. Max pounced on the phone at Jam Pony, hanging up on another messenger and chasing him off with a deadly look.

 

“I’ve got your results,” Dr. Shankar said. “You were right. You’re pregnant.”

 

“Oh God.” Max gasped for air. The doctor’s voice droned on in her ear but the words made no sense.

 

“I’d like to schedule an appointment for an ultrasound. We need to see how far along you are. Also, I’d like to run some tests on the baby, see how it’s doing…Max? Max, are you still there?”

 

“I have to call you back.” Max hung up on her and turned to look at Alec. He was perched on the edge of Normal’s desk. He grinned and winked at her. Max closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure how Alec would take the news, but she couldn’t imagine he’d be happy about it. A baby didn’t exactly fit into his lifestyle. She took a deep breath and headed over to him before she lost her nerve. Grabbing his arm she pulled him to his feet and dragged him into the empty girls’ change room.

 

Once inside Alec wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, murmuring huskily in her ear, “What’s up, Maxie? You in the mood for a quickie?”

 

Max pushed herself from his grasp. “Alec!” she said, impatiently. He looked at her warily and waited for her to speak.

 

Max looked down at her shoes, and said slowly, “I just got off the phone with Dr Shankar. I’ve been feeling sick the last couple of days. I’ve been throwing up. A lot.”

 

“Maxie, we don’t get sick,” Alec said.

 

“I know that! Would you let me finish!” Max took a deep breath. “I’m not. Sick, I mean. It turns out I’m just…pregnant.”

 

The word seemed to echo through the room. Alec stared at her in silence for several seconds. She stared at the door nervously, waiting for him to storm out of it.

 

Alec let out a whoop. He took her in his arms and spun, whirling her around and around. Then he set her gently on her feet, kissed her forehead and said, “I hope it’s a girl who looks just like her momma!”

 

“You’re not mad at me?” Max asked in a tiny voice.

 

“Mad at you?” Alec repeated. “Why would I…?” He held her at arms length and studied her face. “Maxie, you didn’t seriously think I’d walk away from you? I may be an irresponsible jackass, but I’m not that big of a jerk. Besides, I love you.” He shrugged. “I go where you go.”

 

Max grinned shakily. “Sorry. Hormones.” 

 

“Don’t worry so much. We’ll figure it out,” he answered. She nestled back into his embrace and tucked her head under his chin, reassured by the warmth of his arms around her.

 

 

~*~

 

 

AUGUST 2021, SEATTLE

 

Saturday night at Crash and the place was jammed. Original Cindy and Sketchy were throwing an impromptu shower for Max and Alec. Sketchy was at the bar getting another pitcher of beer when Asha showed up. She squeezed in beside him and leaned across the bar to place her order. Sketchy eyed her tight top appreciatively. “Hey, I know you! It’s um, um…” he snapped his fingers several times until the memory clicked into place, “…Asha, right? You’re friends with Alec.”

 

“Well, sorta.” She looked at Sketchy out of the corner of her eyes. She vaguely recalled seeing him hanging out with Alec.

 

From across the room Original Cindy spotted Sketchy hitting up Asha. “Crap!” she swore under her breath. “This is not good.” Sketchy never knew when to keep his mouth shut. She hurried to intercept before Sketchy could say anything to Asha about Max’s condition.

 

Sketchy grinned lecherously at the blonde. “You should definitely join the party.”

 

“Oh, yeah? What party?” She followed his gaze across the crowded room. One of the Jam Pony messengers had his glass raised in a toast to Max and Alec. “I hope you learned your lesson, Alec,” he shouted. “Next time, practice safe sex!” The group burst out laughing. Alec grinned unrepentantly and nuzzled Max’s neck.

 

Asha grabbed Sketchy’s arm. “What’s going on?” she demanded hotly.

 

“Alec knocked up Max.”

 

“What?!” she sputtered in disbelief. “Max is pregnant?”

 

Original Cindy reached the bar in time to hear Sketchy say, “Yeah, didn’t you know?” She smacked Sketchy hard upside the head. “Fool!” she said angrily.

 

“Ow,” he complained, rubbing his head. “What the hell was that for?”

 

Cindy put her hands on her hips and glared at him. Sketchy looked across the room at Max and Alec and then over at Asha. “Ohh,” he said. “Oops.”

 

“Yeah, oops! Moron.” Cindy raised her hand to smack him again but Sketchy ducked out of her reach. Grabbing the beer he slunk across the room.

 

Asha stared hard at Original Cindy. “Does Logan know?”

 

Cindy crossed her arms and stared back. “Boo ain’t told him yet.  It’s complicated, remember?”

 

“He’ll figure it out when she starts showing.”

 

“Max’ll tell him when she’s ready.”

 

“Well she better tell him soon.” Asha pushed past OC and stormed out of the bar, the threat unspoken but implicit. 

 

 

~*~

 

 

Monday morning found Max reluctantly picking the lock on Logan’s door. She gazed around the apartment. Nothing had changed. It looked exactly like the last time she’d seen it. She smiled. It was… comfortable, that sameness.

 

 _Boring_ , the imp in the back of her mind whispered.

 

Logan looked up in surprise at the sound of her footsteps. “Hey you,” he said, grinning in delight at the sight of her. His heart raced. This was the first time she’d been by in months. Maybe it was a sign, maybe she’d finally come to her senses and dumped that reckless bastard.

 

“Hey,” she said quietly. She bit her lip nervously. “Look, there’s something important I need to tell you. And I’ve spent the whole weekend trying to figure out what to say.”

 

Logan’s smile faded. “That sound ominous,” he said. He walked past her into the kitchen and stood at the sink with his back to her.

 

Max followed him and stood in the doorway of the kitchen. She took her hands out of her pockets and hugged her ribs. “I’m, uh...”  She closed her eyes and said softly, “I’m pregnant.”

 

Logan gripped the edge of the sink with both hands until his knuckles turned white. “What?”

 

Max winced at the coldness in his tone. “I’m pregnant.”

 

Logan was silent for a long time. Nervously Max said, “Logan, say something.” Finally she heard him whisper, “Get out.”

 

“Logan…” she said despairingly.

 

Logan spun around, his face contorted with rage. “Get out!” he yelled, and flung one of the dirty glasses from the sink at her head. Instinctively Max ducked and it shattered against the wall. She bolted from the room.

 

She wasn’t there when Logan stormed into Jam Pony later that afternoon. He ignored Normal’s protests about “employees only” and headed straight for the lockers where Alec was lounging around with Sketchy. Without a word Logan hauled back and punched Alec in the face. “You bastard!” Logan shouted. “You had no right!” He panted in fury, waiting for Alec to attack and give him a reason to hit him again. The fact that he didn’t stand a chance in a fight with the transgenic didn’t even register.

 

Alec glared at Logan and put the back of his hand to his nose – he was bleeding. He deliberately made no move to retaliate, or even raise his guard. “She’s not your property, Logan. I didn’t force her to pick me over you. She did that all on her own. Maybe she just got tired of you,” he taunted. 

 

Logan grimaced in rage and swung again, but Alec blocked him easily. He gripped Logan’s hand painfully and said through gritted teeth, “Sorry, one free punch is all you get. And I’m not gonna fight you, because that would hardly be fair.”

 

“She’s only with you because of the virus!” Logan hissed at him.

 

Alec smirked. “Hey, whatever you gotta tell yourself.” Logan shuddered and tore himself from Alec’s grip. He stared at Alec in hate and pain and then turned and stomped out.

 

“Whoa, dude,” Sketchy said watching Logan leave. “I don’t know what he’s so bent about. It’s not like he and Max were a thing. I mean, as far as I know they never actually did it.”

 

Alec gave him a cross look. “Shut up, Sketch. Believe it or not, I actually feel bad about this. Logan’s a decent guy and I screwed him over.”

 

“Yeah, well, all’s fair in love and sex my man.” Sketchy gave Alec a mock punch to the shoulder. Alec shrugged him off and sat on the bench, pressing his hand to his nose.

 

Max arrived at Jam Pony from a hot run in time to see Logan throw himself into his Aztec and peel out. She’d never seen him so furious. With a sinking feeling she dashed into Jam Pony and scanned the room for Alec. She could see the blood on Alec’s face from across the room. “What the hell happened?” she demanded as she rushed over.

 

“Moneybags decked Alec,” Sketchy answered.

 

Alec just shrugged. “It was only fair to give him a free shot.  Hell, I did ruin his life.”

 

Max tugged Alec’s hand away from his face. “Let me see,” she said.

 

Gently Alec caught her hand in his. “Not that I don’t wanna playing doctor with you, Maxie, but I’m fine. The bleeding’s already stopped. Don’t worry about it. He’s just pissed. I would be too.”

 

“Oh god, this is all my fault,” Max moaned. She sank down onto the bench and buried her face in her hands.

 

Alec pulled Max onto his lap. “Hey… who knocked who up? Seriously. You wanna blame someone, blame me. I’m the jerk that got you pregnant.” Laying one protective hand over her stomach, he said, “Logan will get over it. And everything else will be okay.  I promise.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

SEPTEMBER 2025, VANCOUVER

 

“Max and I are old friends,” Logan said in his most persuasive tone. “Only I lost her address. I really need to talk to her, and I’d appreciate it a lot if you’d let me wait here until she comes to pick up Eva.”

 

The owner of the daycare squinted at him suspiciously. She’d kept the door half shut the whole time they’d been talking, effectively blocking Logan’s view of the interior. “I dunno,” she said. “For all I know you don’t actually know Max. I mean, who remembers the name of their friend’s daycare but not their address?”

 

Actually, Logan had Max’s address and phone number memorized, but he didn’t want to show up at her place and be confronted by the evidence of her happy little life with Alec. He was hoping he could talk to her and leave without ever having to see Alec. According to his information Max was usually the one who picked up Eva, not Alec.

 

“It’s really important that I talk to her.” He smiled reassuringly.

 

The woman’s eyes lit up as she hit on a solution. “Tell you what, why don’t you give me your phone number and I’ll tell Max to call you.”

 

Behind him, Logan heard a familiar voice call his name. 

 

“Logan. It’s been a while.”

 

Slowly Logan turned to look behind him. Alec stood at the foot of the lawn, arms crossed and a hard look in his eyes. The younger man hadn’t changed much in three years. Logan sighed. He knew he looked older, more worn out. “Alec… I need to talk to Max.”

 

Alec said sarcastically, “Well somehow I didn’t think you were here to see me.”

 

Suddenly a little girl’s voice called out excitedly, “Daddy!” She squeezed between the daycare owner and Logan and ran to Alec.

 

“Hey, peanut,” he said and crouched to give her a hug. Logan stared. Eva was a beautiful child. She had her father’s hazel eyes and her mother’s dark hair. It curled in ringlets down her back.

 

“You behave yourself today?” Alec asked, smiling at her.

 

Eva nodded solemnly.

 

“Really.” Alex arched one eyebrow. “Then how come you’re covered in paint?” He poked an orange splotch on her overalls.

 

Eva giggled. “I dunno. It’s a mystery.”

 

Alec chuckled. “Sure it is.” He kissed her on the top of her head and stood. “Thanks B,” he said to the daycare owner. He glanced at Logan and sighed. “C’mon.” He hoisted Eva onto his shoulders and headed down the street. Logan hurried to catch up.

 

Eva titled her head sideways and stared intently at Logan. “What’s your name?”

 

“Logan.”

 

“Are you one of my uncles?”

 

“No. I knew your mom and dad a long time ago. Before you were born.”

 

“That’s a looong time ago.”

 

“Yeah. Things were… different then.”

 

They lapsed into uncomfortable silence. The route home took them through a farmer’s market. A middle-aged woman at a fruit stall near the end smiled brightly when they approached. “Hey there, sweetheart,” she called to Eva. She held out an apple. “Want one?”

 

Eva nodded eagerly and reached for it, forcing Alec to move closer. “T’ank you Mrs. Magillicuty,” she chirped around a mouthful. Alec smiled politely.

 

“You’re welcome sweetheart,” she said. “Come by with your daddy anytime. And bring your daddy’s friend along too.” As Logan and Alec walked past her stall they heard her murmur under her breath, “Mmmm.”

 

Logan looked over at Alec, his eyebrows cocked. “Was she just checking us out?” he asked.

 

Alec just rolled his eyes. “Don’t ask.”

 

Logan shook his head, bemused. “I gotta get out more,” he said. Alec chuckled and the animosity between them lifted slightly.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Mommy!” Eva yelled as she darted past Alec and raced for the back of the apartment. Alec hurried after her, leaving Logan standing awkwardly at the door. He heard Max greet Eva, and he heard Alec call out, “Maxie, we got company.” Then there was silence.

 

A minute later the three of them walked into the living room together. As they stood framed in the doorway Logan couldn’t help but think that they were the perfect advertisement for genetic engineering.

 

Max stared at Logan in shock, her face pale. Alec touched her gently on the arm. “We’ll be back in an hour,” he said. He took Eva by the hand and led her out the door. “C’mon, peanut. You and me are going for pizza.” He left without looking at Logan.

 

Max waited until the door closed behind Alec and Eva and then curled up in the corner of the sofa. “Hey,” she said softly.

 

“Hey yourself,” he answered. He gingerly sat on the other end of the sofa and just looked at her. She was exactly as he remembered her.

 

“It’s good to see you, Logan. But… why are you here. Why now?”

 

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out a file folder stuffed full with papers. He laid it on the sofa between them. She eyed it in confusion.

 

“What is it?”

 

“My end of our bargain. I found them. Well, some of them. And their phone numbers. They’re waiting to hear from you.”

 

Tentatively Max reached out and stroked the cover of the file folder. She looked up at Logan, eyes bright with tears. “Thank you,” she whispered.

 

Logan had promised himself he wouldn’t say anything, but seeing her again had shattered his resolve. “When are you coming home Max? I miss you.” Max opened her mouth to protest but Logan beat her to it. “I know. I know you and I can never be together, but I still want you in my life.” He smiled crookedly. “Come home. Seattle is safe now – White’s been gone for over a year.”

 

Max looked sceptical. “You sure about that?”

 

Logan smirked. “I keep him busy chasing false leads on Ray. He won’t bother you again. Come home.”

 

“Home,” she said, tasting the word. She smiled as she thought of Seattle. Then she shrugged. “Maybe. I dunno. I have to talk to Alec first.”

 

“Does he make you happy?” he asked. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He didn’t need to hear her say it; he could tell she was happy just by looking at her. Why he felt the need to ask was beyond him. It was like an old scab that you can’t stop picking at, even though you know it will hurt if you do.

 

“Yeah, he does,” she said gently. She dropped her glance and toyed with the hem of her shirt. “I’m sorry Logan. I never meant for any of this to happen. It just did.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” he whispered, unable to bear the look of guilt on her face. He stood before he could say anything more to upset her. “I should go… I didn’t come to ruin anything for you, or to hurt you. I just came to give you that.”

 

She smiled. “I know. Thank you.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Alec opened the door nervously, half afraid he’d come home to find her bags packed. Instead he found Max sitting in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by photos of her siblings. She was crying and smiling at the same time. “He found them for me. Look, here’s Jondy, and Zane, and Jace and Victor and their son. She called him Max.”

 

Alec crouched on his heels beside her and examined the photos. So these were Max’s siblings, and Ben’s. “So why aren’t you on the phone already?”

 

Max shrugged. “I guess I’m afraid it’s just a dream. Or that the numbers are wrong, or they won’t remember me, or... I dunno. Stupid, isn’t it.”

 

“Yeah.” Alec kissed her on the top of her head. “Call them.”

 

Max took a deep breath and dialled Jondy’s number. She hands shook as she waited for her big sister to answer the phone. She laughed when she heard that familiar voice on the other end of the line. “Jondy… it’s Max.”

 

Alec watched her face from across the room. She looked so happy. He grinned and went to read his daughter a bedtime story.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Max was on the phone for hours. She finally crawled into bed beside Alec in the early morning. He groaned and opened his eyes as she shook him roughly. She was practically bouncing on the bed in excitement. “Zane wants us to have a family reunion. He knows this place we can all stay at for a couple of weeks.”

 

“Whatever you want Maxie. I go where you go, remember.”

 

Max looked down at her hands. She fiddled nervously with the blanket. “What do you think about moving back to Seattle?” she said in a rush.

 

Alec flinched. His eyes darkened and he looked away.

 

“Don’t!” Max hissed. She shook him, hard enough to make the bed rattle. “Don’t do that. This isn’t about Logan. It has nothing to do with him. Seeing him today was way awkward…” She sighed. “It’s not about him. Seattle’s my home. All those years on the run, it was the one place where I felt like I belonged. I miss it. I miss our friends. I want to see OC and Sketchy and Joshua again. Hell, I even want to see Normal.”

 

“You never said anything before.”

 

Max shrugged. “I didn’t know if we could go back. I wasn’t sure how safe it was. And I didn’t know how Logan would react. I didn’t want to give him false hope. I want to be his friend, not his lover. He understands that. This isn’t about him.” She paused and then grinned. “Don’t you know you’re the only one that gets me all hot and bothered?”

 

Alec chuckled. “How hot and bothered are we talking about, exactly?”

 

Max giggled and swung one leg over him so she was straddling his body, and bent her head to nibble on his bare chest. Alec laughed again and pulled her forward so he could claim her lips.

 

“You’re mine,” he whispered fiercely.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Show me.”

 

“Every day,” Max vowed.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here be schmoop. My apologies to the diabetics.

SEPTEMBER 2025, SOMEWHERE IN B.C., CANADA

 

Alec followed the directions Zane had given them and turned off the back highway onto a gravel access road. There was a weather-beaten sign at the turn but it hung from the post at an odd angle and the writing on it was impossible to make out. The access road was overgrown with weeds and trees grew right up to the edge of the road. After a couple of miles the trees parted and they got their first look at the resort.

 

It backed onto a lake in the middle of nowhere. A dozen buildings were clustered together including a main house, eight cabins, a stable, a boathouse, and a couple of sheds. Zane had crashed there several times over the years. The owner had abandoned it sometime after the Pulse and judging from the state of the buildings he hadn’t been back since. The paint was peeling and some of the boards nailed over the windows had cracked and fallen. The roof of one of the far cabins had caved in.

 

It was the perfect.

 

A truck, a car, and several bikes were already parked in the open area in front of the main house. They were the last to arrive. Max jumped out of the car in nervous anticipation. Her brothers and sisters came running around the side of the house and mobbed Max, each trying to be the first to hug their baby sister. Max squealed in excitement like a little girl. Alec chuckled. He didn’t think he’d ever heard her make that particular sound before.

 

Alec took Eva by the hand and waited about ten feet away. He wasn’t big on group hugs. Alec tried to puzzle out who was who while he waited for everyone to settle down. The shorter, slimmer male looked like Max so he must be Krit, which meant the other male had to be Zane. Alec recognized Jace and Brin from Manticore, so that just left the two blond girls. Max had mentioned Jondy was short, so the slightly taller girl must be Syl.

 

Max reluctantly disentangled herself from the group and started the introductions. “Ok, this is Zane, Syl, Krit, Jace, Brin, and Jondy,” she said as she pointed to each one in turn. “And this is Alec and Eva.”

 

Eva waved at them. Alec plastered on a cocky grin and tried not to let the fact that they were staring bother him. Max had warned them, but they were still looking at him like he was their dead brother. There was an awkward silence for a few seconds as everyone tried to adjust to the situation.

 

Suddenly a dark-haired boy about a year or two older than Eva darted between the adults and tagged Eva on the arm. “You’re it!” he shouted before sprinting away around the side of the house. Eva made a huffy face and looked up at her dad for permission.

 

Alec grinned down at her. “What are you waiting for, peanut? Go get him.” She whooped and took off.

 

“That would be my son Max,” Jace said, shaking her hear fondly. “He can’t ever stay still. He’s kinda like his Auntie Maxie that way,” she teased. Max squirmed, embarrassed but pleased that Jace had kept her promise and named her son after her.

 

“Who wants beer?” Zane asked. Everyone laughed and trooped into the house. Max and Jondy walked with their arms around each other’s waist, their heads close. Already they were whispering in each other’s ear just like they had back at Manticore.

 

“What’ll you have? We got everything” Zane said to Alec, pointing to the bar’s fully stocked shelves.

 

“Scotch, no ice.” Zane nodded and poured Alec a double measure. Alec smiled in thanks. He absently swirled the amber liquid around in the glass. Meeting Max’s brothers and sisters was every bit as weird as he’d expected. They all looked at him with the same thing in their eyes – hope that he was the real thing, and not just the knock-off. He drained the scotch in one go, needing the familiar burn as it slid down his throat.

 

Zane stared at Alec out of the corner of his eyes, unable to stop himself from comparing the face of the man in front of him with that of the boy he knew at Manticore. ‘ _Stop it_ ,’ he told himself angrily, ‘ _he’s not Ben!_ ’ He dropped his glance when Alec caught him staring. “Sorry,” he muttered guiltily. “Max did make us promise not to stare, it’s just...” His voice trailed off and he shrugged awkwardly.

 

Alec sighed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration. “I’m not your brother, Zane. We’re nothing alike. I’ve got a guarantee from Psy Ops on that one,” he muttered. “Besides, you’re not the only one who’s seeing double. Your twin was in my unit.”

 

“MY twin?” Zane asked, startled. The possibility that he was twinned had never even occurred to him before now.

 

Syl drifted a little closer. “Do we all have twins?”

 

“Yep. There was a twofer special on at the lab and Manticore figured they should stock up. Double the fun,” Alec joked. He offered Syl a crooked grin.

 

She laughed. “So, did you know mine?” she asked, curious.

 

“Nah. Most of the twins were in different units… But ask Max about hers sometime. Man, was she a piece of work. Like Max, only bitchier.” Alec grinned at the memory of Sam smart mouthing Max. Watching the two of them glare at each other with identical scowls was one of the funniest things he’d ever seen.

 

Jondy gave Max a quick squeeze and walked across the room to Alec. She reached up, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.

 

Alec cocked one eyebrow at her. “What was that for?”

 

“For making my baby sister happy.”

 

“And I suppose if she were unhappy you’d have decked me,” he joked.

 

“Uh huh,” Jondy nodded, entirely serious.

 

“Ookaay. Remind me not to piss you off.”

 

Jondy grinned at him. She and Syl linked their arms through his and led him over to where Brin and Jace were sitting. Alec started telling them a story about Max and Normal and soon the girls were laughing hysterically.

 

Zane sidled over to Max and put a brotherly arm around her shoulders. “Well, he’s got the ladies charmed.”

 

Max rolled her eyes. “It’s one of his more developed skill sets.”

 

“You look happy, Maxie.”

 

Max smiled up at him. “I am.” She laughed softly. “When we first met he drove me insane. For months I could’ve cheerfully strangled him... Of course I fell in love with him.”

 

“Yeah, what is it about X5s? We’re never happy in love unless punching is involved.” He hugged her tight. “I missed you, Maxie. Zack was wrong to keep us separated.”

 

“He was just trying to protect us.” Max couldn’t believe those words just came out of her mouth. Usually that was her line but here she was defending Zack. Then again, it was her fault he wasn’t there to defend himself.

 

“Yeah, but Manticore’s gone now,” Zane argued.

 

She nodded, relieved she wasn’t the only one who felt that way.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The X5s were sitting on the deck, drinking and visiting as the sun set over the lake. Eva wandered over to Alec, a pretty pout on her face. Alec pulled her onto his lap and cuddled her close. “Look at that bottom lip. Why so sad, peanut?”

 

“I’m hungry, Daddy. Aren’t we ever gonna eat?” she asked plaintively.

 

Zane drained the last of his beer and stood up. “C’mon Jondy, that’s our cue.”

 

“Zane and I are on KP duty tonight, but we thought we could all take a shift,” Jondy explained.

 

“Except for Maxie.” Alec shuddered. “She can’t cook.”

 

Max playfully slapped Alec on the arm. “Thanks a lot!”

 

Alec smirked at her. “Am I lying?” He turned to Eva. “What do you think? Can Mommy cook?” Eva solemnly shook her head no.

 

“Hey, come here you,” Max pulled Eva from Alec’s lap to her own and tickled her. Eva shrieked.

 

“Alrighty then, Maxie’s excused,” Zane said.

 

“Double for Krit,” Syl added. “He can’t cook either” She shuddered.

 

Krit gave her an indignant look. “Syl! Whose side are you on anyway?”

 

“Duh,” Syl rolled her eyes. “The side of anyone else who’s gonna make me an actual meal.”

 

“So I guess Max and Krit are on dish duty then,” Jace called out.

 

The rest laughed at the mock peeved expressions Max and Krit were wearing. Jondy jumped to her feet and headed inside while Zane lit the barbeque. Alec kissed Max on the top of her head and followed Jondy into the kitchen. “Need a hand?”

 

Jondy gestured to the raw vegetables waiting on the counter. “Uh, chop some veggies for the salad?” She watched as Alec expertly chopped the vegetables. “Wow. Sexy, good with kids, and he can cook. Can my sister ever pick em.”

 

“Thank you,” he preened. “Seriously, Maxie can cook, she just gets impatient and then things tend to burn.”

 

Jondy laughed. “Sounds like Maxie. So I take it you learned out of self-defence.”

 

“Yep.”

 

Just then Zane’s cell phone rang. “Alec, can you get that? My hands are full.” Jondy was getting the steaks ready for Zane and her fingers were bloody from handling the raw meat.

 

Alec grabbed the phone off the table. “Hey,” he said, holding the phone under his chin as he continued to chop the lettuce.

 

“Zane? Is that you? It’s Logan. Is Max around? I’d like to talk to her.”

 

Alec hesitated for half a second and then sighed. “Yeah” he said in a clipped tone and dropped his knife on the counter. He walked out onto the deck and held out the phone. “Max, phone!”

 

She looked at him puzzled. “For me? Nobody knows we’re here.”

 

Alec gave her an exasperated look. “Who always knows where you are?”

 

“Logan?” Max looked away. “Huh.” She lifted Eva off her lap and followed Alec into the kitchen. She grabbed the cell from him and moved into the other room. Alec went back to chopping vegetables for the salad, his shoulders tensing as he forced himself not to listen in on the conversation in the other room.

 

Jondy said quietly, “I invited Logan to join us but he said he was too busy. You know, if it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have hooked up like this.”

 

“I know. Logan’s a good guy. He gets off on helping people.”

 

“So why do I get the feeling you don’t like him much?”

 

Alec glanced over at Jondy. She was watching him closely, trying to read his expression. He looked away and shrugged. “Let’s just say I have a guilty conscience where Logan’s concerned.”

 

“I know my baby sister. She would’ve found a way to be with Logan if that’s what she really wanted. Virus or no virus.”

 

“I know.”

 

“She’s obviously crazy about you.”

 

Alec looked up and grinned. “I know.”

 

“Logan just wanted to make sure we all got here safe,” Max said as she walked back into the kitchen.

 

Jondy grabbed the plate of meat for the barbeque. “I gotta take these to Zane. Be right back.” She hurried out of the kitchen, leaving Max and Alec alone.  
  


Alec handed Max the salad bowl. “Here, make yourself useful and carry this to the table.”

 

Max took the bowl from him but didn’t move. “Alec, he just-”

 

“Max, I’m not gonna stop you from talking to the guy. Or seeing him for that matter.”

 

Max smiled. “I know.”

 

“Good.” He snaked one arm around her back to pull her close and planted a kiss on her lips. Max pressed up against him and opened her mouth to deepen the kiss.

 

Jondy deftly rescued the salad bowl before it could slip from Max’s hand. “Hey you two, not on an empty stomach!”

 

 

~*~

 

 

After dinner the girls curled up in the comfy chairs in the lounge and started to gossip. The three men looked at each other and shrugged. “They’ll be talking all night,” Zane predicted, “and probably about us.”

 

Krit turned to Alec. “There’s a pool table downstairs. Wanna play?”

 

“Sure, why not,” Alec said with a shrug. They were going to be here a while – he might as well go bond with the boys. Maybe he could make a few bucks while he was at it. He followed Zane and Krit downstairs.

 

Krit racked up the balls and handed Alec a cue. “Your break.”

 

“Sure,” he said with a grin. He broke and then effortlessly sank the balls one by one.

 

“Three transgenics playing pool. Where’s the challenge? It’s not like anyone’s gonna lose,” Max said from the doorway.

 

Alec grinned. “Oh, I dunno. I’m sure we could find ways to make it interesting.” He leered suggestively at her. “You two play, I’ll sit out.” He walked over to Max and draped an arm around her shoulders. She moved into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist.

 

“Having fun?” Alec asked.

 

She smiled. “Yeah. Thanks for coming with me.”

 

“I told you Maxie… I go where you go.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “You’re gonna be up most of the night talking with Jondy, aren’t you.”

 

“Probably,” she agreed with a laugh.

 

Alec nibbled on her earlobe. “Wake me,” he murmured as his lips travelled down her neck.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

SEPTEMBER 2025, SOMEWHERE IN B.C., CANADA

 

Alec and Zane sat lazing in the afternoon sun, feet propped up on the deck railing, cold beer in hand. Alec idly watched Max talking to Syl at the end of the dock. A naughty idea popped into his head. Briefly he considered resisting temptation, but then mentally shrugged. Max was so hot when she was mad. He grinned wickedly.

 

“Y’know, I don’t think Maxie’s been in the water toady. I should probably help her with that.”

 

Zane laughed. “Your funeral, man.”

 

Draining his beer, Alec tossed it overhand into the can and then sauntered down the deck to join the girls. He innocently draped his arm around Max’s shoulders and looked out across the water. “Nice day for a swim,” he said. He shifted his grip and quickly slipped one hand under her knees. In one smooth motion he scooped her up and pitched her into the lake.

 

She came up sputtering, a murderous look in her eyes. “Alec, you are sooo gonna regret doing that.”

 

Alec laughed. “First you gotta catch me.”

 

Max hauled herself out of the water and onto the deck. She stood there with her wet clothes plastered against her body, her hair dripping in her eyes. She vainly tried to wring some of the water out her clothes.

 

He chuckled at her bedraggled appearance. She glared at him and readied herself to strike.

 

He crouched with his weight balanced on the balls of his feet and gestured with his fingers for her to come forward. “Bring it on,” he mocked.

 

She charged and closed the distance between them. At the last second he jumped and flipped himself over her head. He spun, turning his back to the lake so he could keep Max in sight. He backed up a few feet towards the end of the dock, careful to stay out of her reach.

 

Behind him Syl calmly filled a bucket with water from the lake and walked up behind Alec. All his attention was on Max, so he never noticed until it was too late. She upended the bucket over his head, drenching him. Max howled with laughter as Alec gasped in shock.

 

He turned to face Syl and waggled his finger at her. “See, that’s cheating. And do you know what happens to cheaters?” He advanced step by step as he spoke, forcing Syl to back up. Suddenly her foot hit thin air as she reached the very end of the dock. Her arms pinwheeled madly as she struggled to maintain her balance. Grinning Alec poked her in the chest with one finger. Syl toppled backwards into the lake.

 

Alec was so busy laughing at the surprised look on Syl’s face that he never heard Max sneak up behind him. She gave him a shove and he tumbled head first into the water.

 

Max stood with her hands on her knees and leaned over the edge of the dock. “So who’s laughing now?”

 

Alec levered himself out of the water. He grabbed the dock with one hand and reached for Max with the other. Catching her wrist he pulled her weight forward and she fell off the dock into the water for the second time that day. Before she could retaliate he swam over to her and captured her in his arms. He was just about to kiss her when they were both swamped by a wave as Zane and Krit canon-balled into lake beside them.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Alec wandered into the bar and poured himself a scotch. Everyone else was still outside, working on their tans and telling stories. After 15 years, there was a lot to catch up on.

 

He wasn’t in the mood.

 

He glanced curiously around the room. His gaze was drawn to a large object in the corner. It was hidden by a drop cloth but he could tell from its shape what it was. He walked over and flipped back a corner of the cloth to reveal an old and battered piano. Reverently he ran his fingers along the keys and played a few random chords. It was slightly out of tune after sitting unused for so long but the tone was still rich and deep. He pulled the drop cloth all the way back and set his drink down. Of their own accord his fingers plucked out a sad melody. It would have been her birthday soon. She would have been 23, if she’d lived.

 

Jondy was in the kitchen getting a snack when she heard the music start. She was surprised. She didn’t even know this old place had a piano. Curious, she tiptoed soundlessly down the hallway, towards the source of the music. She paused in the doorway of the bar and stared thoughtfully at Alec. He looked so deep in thought that she didn’t want to disturb him. She listened for a few minutes before she backed away and headed outside.

 

An hour later Alec wandered outside, drink in hand. Jondy smiled at him. “Alec, I didn’t know you played piano.”

 

The colour drained from his face as he stared at Jondy. They had all turned to look at him with curious, probing looks. He couldn’t breath. “I don’t!” he said through clenched teeth, before storming off towards the lake. Max winced at the pained look on his face.

 

“But I just heard him,” Jondy protested. “He’s really good.”

 

Zane moved to follow Alec.

 

Max said sharply, “Zane, leave him alone!”

 

He glanced in the direction Alec had gone in and then back at Max in confusion. Something was wrong, he just didn’t know what.

 

“Just drop it. All of you,” she insisted. Alec didn’t like to talk about it, not even to her. The last thing he’d want to deal with right now was a lot of nosy questions from her siblings.

 

“But Max, something’s obviously wrong,” Syl said in protest.

 

“Yeah, why would Alec freak out like that?” asked Zane.

 

“He doesn’t like to talk about it,” Max said furious and imploringly. Why couldn’t they just drop it?

 

Zane, Syl and Krit started to argue with Max, voices steadily rising, when Jace blurted out, “It’s because of Manticore.” It was the one word that could silence them all. They turned to face her with puzzled looks.

 

“You weren’t there. You have no idea what it was like. So if he doesn’t want to talk about it, just leave him alone!”

 

They all looked at Jace in surprise. Her eyes were dark with remembered pain. They’d almost forgotten that she hadn’t escaped with them in ‘09 and instead spent another ten years inside, just like Alec.

 

Jace stood and walked over to Max, silently asking her permission. Max nodded at her and Jace headed after Alec.

 

Alec flung himself down on the end of the dock and stared morosely at the sunlight reflecting off the water. He heard Eva’s small footsteps behind him. Without a word she crawled onto his lap and slipped her skinny arms around his neck and hugged him. Alec held her close and breathed in her scent. She planted a wet kiss on his cheek and then scampered off.

 

Idly he grabbed a twig and started snapping it in smaller and smaller bits.

 

He heard someone else approach. He craned his neck to look over his shoulder and was surprised to see Jace. She sat down beside him. He found he didn’t mind. She was the only one who could understand. She’d been there too.

 

“I’d heard what happened,” she said quietly, not looking at him. “With the Berrisford mission, I mean. I’m really sorry.”

 

Alec stared out over the water. “Me too.”

 

After a minute Jace said, “That place, it got really hard to deal with after a while.”

 

“Re-indoc didn’t help much.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Alec finally looked directly at Jace. “I remember you. They used to hold you up as a shining example of a good and loyal soldier who stayed true to her unit and the mission,” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

 

“They didn’t.”

 

“Yep,” Alec nodded.

 

“I was a poster child for Manticore?” Jace scrunched up her face. “Oh man, now I’m depressed!”

 

They both laughed. The sound drifted back to the house. Max smiled and went back inside.

 

“Better you than me,” Alec added. “I was a monumental screw up. Got sent to Psy Ops and lock up more times than I can count.”

 

“Yeah, but given how twisted that place was, I’d say that’s a good thing,” Jace pointed out.

 

“Maybe…” Alec shrugged. “Dinner’s probably ready. We should grab the munchkins.”

 

Jace looked hard at Alec. He smiled back blandly. He’d obviously shoved his demons to the back of his mind and slammed the door shut on them. ‘ _Fair enough_ ,’ she thought to herself. She kept a pretty tight rein on her own Manticore-inspired demons.

 

The two kids were playing at the water’s edge. Jace took Max by the hand and tried vainly to brush the accumulated dirt off his clothes. Alec scooped Eva up and tossed her over his shoulder. She giggled as she dangled upside down.

 

Plopping Eva down in a chair at the table and turned to face the other girl in his life. “Did you remember to wash your hands?”

 

Max looked down at her palms, then closed her hands into fists and hid them behind her back. “They’re fine.”

 

Alec grinned. “Liar.” He put one finger under her chin and brought her face close to his and kissed her.

 

“You alright?” Max whispered against his lips.

 

“I’m always alright Maxie,” he answered with a grin.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

SEPTEMBER 2025, SOMEWHERE IN B.C., CANADA

 

Eva was bored. Bored, bored, bored. Daddy was dozing in the sun under a tree and Mommy was sitting on the dock talking with Auntie Jondy and Auntie Brin. Cousin Max was off somewhere with his mom. Everyone was busy, except her.

 

She wandered closer to the woods at the edge of the property. She spotted a squirrel snuffling at the base of a tree and tried to sneak up on it. She was quiet as a mouse, but she forgot to watch for the angle of the sun. Her shadow fell over the squirrel and it was gone in a flash. She chased it deeper into the forest. Eventually she lost sight of it as it jumped from branch to branch. She was craning her neck trying to spot it among the leaves when she heard a low growl behind her. Eva spun around to see huge wolf snarling at her. It was foaming at the mouth.

 

It bounded toward her. She screamed.

 

Alec leapt to his feet at the sound of his daughter’s terror. He blurred, racing for the forest with his heart in his throat. He found her in a small clearing. In front of her was a rabid wolf. Its teeth were bared and it was snarling in fury at his daughter. She was throwing pine cones and rocks at it to keep it at bay, yelling “Nasty bad wolf! Go away!” Enraged, the wolf readied itself to spring.

 

Alec dove between the wolf and Eva, his arms outstretched. He grabbed her, dropped his shoulder and rolled, hugging her to his chest. He hunched his body in a protective arch around her to cushion her from the force of their landing.

 

The wolf bounded after them, lunged, and sunk its teeth into Alec’s shoulder. He grimaced in pain and elbowed the wolf in the ribs hard enough to cause it to let go. He lashed out with his foot and connected, sending the wolf flying. It hit a tree and lay stunned.

 

Alec scrambled to his feet, Eva still clutched to his chest. She stared wide-eyed at the blood oozing from the wound on his shoulder and whimpered but didn’t cry. He turned and ran for the house. He passed Syl, Krit and Zane. They fanned out, blocking the beast’s path.

 

Max flew toward them across the lawn, terrified. Alec thrust Eva into her arms and said over and over, “She’s okay. She’s okay.” Max clutched her daughter fiercely and then reached out with one hand to touch Alec’s bloody shoulder. “Alec, you’re hurt.”

 

Behind them they heard the wolf howl in rage, then whimper once, and then it was silent.

 

Jondy took Alec by the arm and dragged him into the kitchen. With Brin’s help she tugged his shirt over his head. Alec hissed in pain as the fabric caught on the wound, causing the blood to flow more freely. Max shifted Eva to one hip and gently touched Alec’s wound with her free hand, assessing the damage to his shoulder.

 

Brin ran from the room and returned with a bottle of gin. “Sorry, but we gotta clean the wound.”

 

“Well at least you’re not gonna waste good scotch,” he said with a lopsided grin.

 

Jondy and Brin moved him into position over the sink. Brin poured the alcohol over the holes in his shoulder. He grimaced but held still.

 

Syl, Zane, and Krit marched into the kitchen. “It’s dead,” Krit said grimly.

 

Zane grabbed a first aid kit from the closet and handed Jondy two cotton pads and a roll of gauze. Deftly Jondy pressed the pads on either side of the wound and wrapped the gauze over and under his arm to hold them in place. Max choked back a small sob as blood seeped through and stained the pads.

 

“No big, Maxie.” Alec said as he moved to stand next to her. “Eva’s fine, I’m fine, my shoulder will be fine. In a couple of weeks there won’t even be a scar.”

 

Max nodded and laid her head against his good shoulder. The three of them stood together in an embrace, until Zane handed Alec a double shot of scotch.

 

“Here,” he said, “You could probably use this right about now.”

 

“Oh yeah,” Alec said, and drained half the glass in one swallow.

 

Max insisted Alec sit down and rest his shoulder. Grudgingly he obliged. Eva shuffled over to Alec and said in a sorrowful voice, “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

 

Alec pulled her onto his lap. “Open your mouth,” he ordered.

 

Eva complied, a little confused. Alec made a great show of examining her teeth. “Nope, you’re not the one that bit me.” Eva giggled.

 

“So it’s not your fault then, is it peanut?” he said gently. She shook her head and snuggled close. He tucked her head under his chin and held her tight, his strong arms trembling slightly.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Alec woke in the early morning, too restless to sleep. The bed beside him was empty. He got up and went to check on Eva. She was sleeping peacefully. Alec pulled up the covers she’d kicked off in the night and tucked them back around her. He brushed her hair off her face. She stirred but didn’t wake. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead.

 

He went outside and stared at the pre-dawn gloom. He sat on the steps of their cabin, waiting for Max to return from searching the woods. Eventually he saw her walking toward him across the lawn. She sat on his lap and snuggled close for comfort, much the same way Eva had the night before.

 

“Did you find its lair? Are there any others?”

 

Max shook her head. “There was just the one.” She lightly touched the bandage on his shoulder and then ran her fingers across his chest. She tilted her head back and Alec sought her lips, and kissed her possessively. When they broke apart for air Max stood and offered Alec her hand, hauling him to his feet. In silence they headed for their bedroom. They made love fiercely, seeking both comfort and oblivion.

 

 

~*~

 

 

In the morning Eva raced ahead of them towards the main house, in search of breakfast. Max and Alec walked slowly, arm in arm. They entered the kitchen together.

 

Syl looked up from stirring the pancake batter. The smile on her face quickly turned into a look of concern. “Alec, you’re bleeding. The wound must’ve opened up again.”

 

“What?” Max said and spun Alec around. A small amount of blood had soaked through the pad and onto his white t-shirt.

 

“It’s fine, really” Alec said and tried to pull away. Max ignored him and started tugging at his shirt. He twisted away and batted at her hands.

 

“Hold still!” she said sharply. “Honestly, you’re as bad as Eva when she doesn’t want to take a bath.”

 

Syl gave her a hand and between them they got his shirt over his head despite his resistance. Meanwhile, Jace was soaking a cloth with alcohol. Jondy removed the bandages. Three of the holes had already started healing but the deepest had opened in the night and was seeping blood. Gently Jondy prodded at the wound.

 

“Ow!” Alec complained.

 

“Does it hurt?” Jondy asked solicitously.

 

“Only when someone’s poking at it! And by the way, your hands are cold.”

 

“Oh stop whining,” Max said with a grin. If he was being sarcastic then he wasn’t that badly hurt. She’d worry if he ever stopped complaining. “Jace?”

 

Jace pressed the alcohol-soaked pad against the wound. Alec hissed but held still. Once the wound was clean, Jondy applied fresh bandages. “There you go. All better now.”

 

Alec smiled wryly at her. “Thanks.”

 

Zane laughed. “Not bad Alec. It’s not even time for breakfast and already you’ve had four pretty girls vying to take off your shirt.”

 

“Yeah, it’s a hard life.” Alec grinned. Max playfully swatted at him, but he grabbed her hand and planted a kiss on her palm.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

OCTOBER 2025, SEATTLE

 

Jam Pony came to a screeching halt when Max, Alec, and Eva strolled through the front doors.

 

“Boo?!” Original Cindy yelled. She ran across the room and threw her arms around Max and then Alec, laughing in delight. Most of the messengers they’d known three years before were still there. They crowded around the little family. It was chaos as everyone tried to hug everyone else.

 

Normal pushed and shoved his way into the center of the crowd. “I do not pay you low-lifes to socialize!” he yelled. “What do you think this is? Tea time at the country club? Back to work!”

 

His tirade was interrupted as Eva tugged at his hand. He looked down in surprise.

 

“Are you the bip man?” she asked innocently.

 

“The what?” Normal stared at her in confusion.

 

“The bip man. You know, bip, bip, bip!”

 

The crowd howled at the look on Normal’s face. “God help us,” he muttered. He turned to scowl at Max and Alec. “I supposed you two morons want your jobs back.”

 

Max batted her eyelashes at him. “Pretty please.”

 

“Too bad,” Normal said gleefully. “We’re fully staffed.”

 

Original Cindy put her hands on her hips and gave Normal a look. “No we ain’t, fool. Katie and what’s-his-name quit yesterday.”

 

Normal glowered at her. “Fine. But if either of you are late, that’s it! And the rest of you, back to work!”

 

Alec scooped Eva up in one arm. “Thanks Normal, you’re the man,” he said as he headed for the door, Max and Cindy trailing behind.

 

“I’m on break,” Cindy called over her shoulder.

 

“What else is new,” Normal muttered as he tossed packages at the other messengers.

 

“You got a place yet, boo?” Cindy asked. “Because Joshua’s is still empty.”

 

“Empty? Why? What happened to Joshua?” Max asked, terror sliding through her veins at the thought of her gentle friend dead or captured.

 

“He’s aiight. He’s crashing with some freaky looking dudes in Terminal City. Said he wanted to be with downstairs people, whatever that means.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Towards midnight Max hopped on her Ninja and traveled the familiar route to Fogel Towers. She let herself into Logan’s penthouse using the skylight and sauntered over to the computer room. Logan was working late, as usual. “Hey,” she said. “Some things never change.”

 

He was startled at the sound of her voice. He grinned at her in delight. “Hey yourself.”

 

“We’d have been in town sooner, only I had this family reunion to go to.” She smiled brilliantly. “First time we’ve been together in over 15 years. Thanks to you.”

 

“Anytime, Max.”

 

“So it looks like we gonna crash at Joshua’s. We’re having a Halloween party next week. You should come. We’d both like you to be there. Only you gotta wear a costume.”

 

“Maybe I will.” He hadn’t worn a costume for Halloween for years, but since she asked he just might.

 

She looked over at the computer screen. He was scanning police records. “Still saving the world, huh.” She hesitated then plunged ahead. “You know I can’t help you out with that, right? I can’t pull any jobs for Eyes Only.”

 

Logan felt his hopes whither and die on the vine. “Why not? Alec lay down the law?” he asked bitterly.

 

“That’s not fair!” Max snapped, angry that he thought Alec would try to control her. “It’s not just me anymore – I’m a mom now. I have to keep my head down. It can’t be the way it was before.”

 

Ashamed, Logan looked away, unable to meet her eyes. He was being selfish, thinking only of himself. “I’m sorry. You’re right. That was unfair.” Risking a glance at her, he asked, “Can you still drop by and hang out?”

 

Max smiled. “Of course. That’s what friends do. Anyway, I should be getting back. I just wanted to say hi.”

 

He nodded. “Lock my door on the way out.”

 

Max sped home through the dark streets. She was tempted to swing by the Needle, but resisted. It wasn’t going anywhere. And Alec was waiting up for her. She snuck quietly into the house. Original Cindy and Eva were curled up together on the sofa. Piano music drifted up from the basement. She tried to tiptoe soundlessly down the stairs but they creaked under her weight. Alec looked up but kept playing. At least he wasn’t playing Chopin. She’d learned to judge his mood by the music he chose. He only played Chopin when he was in a black mood. Tonight it was a sonata by Tchaikovsky.

 

“Happy to be back?” he asked.

 

“It’s home.” Max sat on the bottom step and watched him play. He was an entirely different person at the piano. The soldier in him was set aside and replaced by someone gentle, more vulnerable. Alec was such a contradiction. Four years together and she was still trying to figure him out.

 

“I love you,” she said softly. “I love our life together. Coming back here doesn’t change that.”

 

“I know.”

 

Max smiled mischievously. “You sure you don’t need me to show you how much?” She stood and prowled over to the piano, hips swaying seductively. Alec spun around on the stool to face her. She climbed onto his lap, facing him, and ran her fingers through his hair. He grinned and stole a kiss.

 

He leaned back as the kiss deepened, and his elbow hit a discordant note on the keys. They giggled and stopped to listen but no sound came from upstairs. Alec lifted Max in his arms and stood up, and turned to set her down on the top of the piano. She threw back her head and Alec kissed her exposed neck, fingers deftly undoing buttons.

 

Time to christen their new home.

 

 

~*~

 

Late to work (again!), Max and Alec rushed in with Eva in tow.

 

“Hey!” Normal protested, leaning half over the counter. He pointed indignantly at Eva. “What is she doing here? No children allowed! This is a place of business.”

 

Alec offered his most charming smile. “Sorry, Normal. Our babysitter cancelled at the last minute. We figured she could just hang out in back. Eva’s a good girl. She won’t be any trouble.”

 

“She already is!” Normal sputtered. Every female in the building was clustered around Eva. No one was going out on a run. No one even looked like they might be considering going out on a run. “She can’t stay here.”

 

“Fine,” Max snarled, “then consider this me calling in sick.”

 

“Hold up, missy miss, we’re short-handed as it is.”

 

“She really is a good kid,” Alec wheedled. “You won’t even know she’s here.”

 

“Untwist your panties, Normal,” Max suggested. “You’re gonna give yourself a heart attack.”

 

Normal threw up his hands in defeat and retreated behind his desk.

 

Cindy and Max bumped fists. “Doggy-dog aiight?”

 

“Yeah, but Mole finally convinced him to try beer last night and now he’s as sick as a… dog.”

 

Alec tossed a package Max’s way. “Here Maxie, hot run.”

 

Max rolled her eyes. “Why me?” she whined.

 

“Because Normal wants ta fire your ass, boo?” Cindy guessed.

 

Alec lobbed a package at her too. “Here, keep Maxie company.”

 

Both girls levelled death glares at him. Alec remained cheerfully immune. “What? I’m working too.” He held up his own package as evidence.

 

“Get back to work, you low lifes!” Normal hollered. “Bip bip bip!” He scowled and then jumped in surprise at a tug on his pants.

 

“What’s a low-life?” Eva asked innocently.

 

“Uh, nothing,” Normal stammered. “It doesn’t mean anything.”

 

“Then why say it?”

 

“Uh…” Normal shrugged helplessly.

 

“Is it something bad? You shouldn’t say mean things. It’s not nice. Mommy and Daddy get mad at me when I say mean things to Max. He’s my cousin. He’s a boy but he’s okay.” Eva screwed up her face as she contemplated that.

 

Taking Eva by the arm, Normal led her around the counter and over to his desk and shoved a pad and a pen into her hands. She tipped her head to one side and studied him. “Don’t you like to draw?” he asked somewhat desperately. “I thought kids like to draw.” Eva tipped her head the other way, then shrugged and climbed onto the chair. Normal sighed in relief.

 

He started shoving packages at idle messengers. “Get back to work you, low-li” Normal clamped his mouth shut and snuck a furtive look over his shoulder at Eva. She was bent over her page, busy drawing something, her little tongue sticking out from between her lips. She didn’t seem to have noticed his slip up. Normal released the breath he’d been holding. “Here!” he said, handing out more packages. “And hurry up!”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Eva hopped off the chair and wandered over to join Normal at the counter, her drawing clutched in one hand. She tugged on his pant leg. He stared down at her in surprise. “Here,” she said proudly, holding up her drawing. “I drew you a picture. It’s ‘posed to be you.”

 

Normal stared blankly at the paper. She’d drawn him holding a package above his head, his mouth open in mid-yell. And she’d coloured his face in with red pen.

 

“That’s me,” she said, pointing to the little girl holding stick-figure Normal’s hand. “I’m helping.”

 

“Uh huh.” Normal rubbed his eyes and went into his office. He shut the door quietly.

 

Eva just shrugged. She was about to jump up onto the counter when she remembered her parents’ injunctive not to jump like a cat when other people were around. She pouted for a second and then brightened. Hurrying back to the desk, she dragged the heavy chair over to the counter and climbed up.

 

Five minutes later Normal emerged from his mental break to see Eva glance at a package before handing it out to Sketchy. “Sector 7,” she chirped. Sketchy nodded and shoved it in his bag without looking and started for the door.

 

“Sweet Dubya!” Normal moaned. Visions of Eva sending all his messengers to the wrong place danced through his head. He rushed over, grabbing Sketchy by his bag and hauling him around.

 

“Dude!” he protested. “What’s your damage?”

 

Normal stared in disbelief at the large ‘Sector 7’ printed on the mailing label.

 

“Can I go now?” Sketchy asked.

 

Normal shoved the package at him, hitting him hard in the chest. Sketchy grunted. “Go,” Normal ordered, waving him off. “Get out of my sight. I’m not paying you to stand around like a lamp post.” Shaking his head, he watched mutely as Eva handed out two more packages. He blinked and came back to himself to find Max waving her hand in front of his face. He batted her away. “She’s already reading?” he asked bewildered. “She’s only three!”

 

“Uh, yeah…” Max shrugged awkwardly. “Eva’s a little… precocious.”

 

Normal snorted. “She must get it from her dad.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

“What?” White barked into his cell phone.

 

“Fenes’tol,” said the voice on the other end. White leaned back in his chair, one eye on his closed office door.

 

“Fenes’tol,” he replied quietly.

 

“We have a confirmed sighting. 452 has returned to Seattle.”

 

White crowed. “I knew it. I knew she couldn’t stay away! Where is she?”

 

“She is living with 494 in a house in Sector 3.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

“Yes. They have a daughter.”

 

White grinned. ‘ _It just gets better and better,_ ’ he thought gleefully. “Do nothing,” he ordered. “I’ll be there with a team tomorrow.”

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

OCTOBER 2025, SEATTLE

 

“Yeah?” Max said absently into her cell phone as she rummaged through her locker at Jam Pony for her lip gloss.

 

“Hello 452,” said White’s mocking, malicious voice.

 

Max’s heart thudded painfully against her ribs.

 

“I have your daughter, 452.”

 

Max stared stupidly at the inside of her locker. Her mind refused to process the words until she heard Eva’s frightened voice in the background. “Mommy?” she wailed. Max’s heart stopped.

 

“I’ll be in touch.” And the cell phone went dead.

 

Max’s legs collapsed out from under her. She sat down hard on the edge of the bench behind her. Overbalanced, it tipped and sent her tumbling to the floor as it crashed on its side. Max barely noticed. She stared at the cell phone in her hand. She couldn’t breathe. The room spun dizzily around her.

 

Original Cindy’s concerned voice swam into view. “Boo? Boo, what’s wrong?”

 

Max shook her head. Cindy’s voice sounded odd and distant, as if it came from far away. “He has her,” she said. The words made no sense. She tried again. “White has Eva.”

 

And then she was up on her feet and running for the door. She threw herself on her bike and raced madly for home. She raised her shaking hand, still clutching her cell, and called the house, trying to make it not be true. The phone rang and rang. Ten times. Twenty times. Thirty times.

 

‘ _They’re just outside. They’re playing and they can’t hear the phone. They don’t know it’s me,_ ’ she told herself desperately, trying to keep down the scream that threatened to claw is way out of her throat. ‘ _She’s fine. She’s fine, she’s fine, she’sfineshe’sfineshe’sfine,_ ’ she repeated over and over to the churning of her legs on the pedals.

 

As soon as she turned the corner onto their street, she knew it wasn’t fine. The front door had been kicked open. It hung drunkenly on its hinges. It was true. White had her daughter.

 

Numbly, Max raised her phone and pressed memory dial. “Alec,” she whimpered piteously.

 

At the sound of anguish in Max’s voice, Alec braked so hard that only his cat-like reflexes save him from tumbling head first over the handlebars. “Max?”

 

“White has Eva. That bastard has our daughter.” Max’s voice shook as badly as her hands did.

 

Alec’s body went cold. The beast inside him raised its head. For one brief, shining moment, Alec knew why Ben had killed and killed and killed. Then his training kicked in. “Where are you?”

 

“Home,” she whispered.

 

He hung up. Wrenching his bicycle around, he took off, pedalling as fast as only a transgenic can, not caring who saw him go.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Max was standing on the porch steps waiting for him. Alec jumped off his bicycle and let it fall to the street with a clatter. He raced across the lawn and crushed her to him in a tight embrace. Her body shook in his arms.

 

“What about Joshua?” he said into her hair. “Is he…”

 

“No, he’s not here. They have him too,” she said dully, her voice muffled by his chest.

 

He pulled back and held her at arms’ length so he could look her in the face. He shook her gently. “We. Will. Get. Her. Back. And then we get payback. He dies for this.”

 

Alec wore his soldier’s face – cold and hard and emotionless – but his eyes burned with a deep, animal rage. Max felt her despair and confusion fade, and in its wake, a cold anger settled in the pit of her stomach.

 

“He dies,” she agreed, her face hardening.

 

“We need back up. C’mon.”

 

They grabbed her Ninja and raced for Terminal City. It was home to the transgenics who couldn’t pass for human, but also more than a few X-series who preferred to live among their own kind. They kept to themselves, rarely venturing out.

 

Max jumped the fence and screeched to a halt, laying a rubber trail across the asphalt. They charged inside the building that served as a rough headquarters. Mole was cleaning a shotgun, his feet up on the table. He looked up in annoyance at the sudden interruption. “Hey, who died?” he asked around the cigar clamped between his teeth.

 

“White has our daughter and Joshua,” Alec said grimly.

 

Mole leaped to his feet. “Shit,” he swore. “Dix! We need a location.”

 

“On it,” the mashed-potato faced nomalie called back, already hacking into Seattle PD hoverdrone footage. “Where did he snatch them from, the house?” Alec nodded. He turned to Max but she was already on the phone to Logan.

 

“Hey Max, what’s-”

 

“I need your help,” she barked, cutting him off. “White took Eva.”

 

“What?! Why? How did he find you? How did he-”

 

“There’s no time, Logan. Just find him.” She snapped the phone shut. 

 

She started to pace, six steps each direction. Before long, Alec joined her going the other way. Their hands brushed on every pass. Dix continued to scan the hoverdrone footage, desperately seeking some sign of White and his men. Mole sat at the table, cleaning his shotgun for the third time that day. Behind him the room was filled with 30 silent, waiting transgenics, both Xs and freaks.

 

Max’s cell phone rang. Everyone went silent and still. They turned in unison to stare at it. Max snatched it up before the end of the second ring and raised it to her ear, dreading the oily sound of White’s voice.

 

“Max, it’s me.”

 

“Logan,” she said in relief. Some of the tension in the room dissolved.

 

“I think I’ve found something. I started with satellite feed all of White’s known bases of operation. One of them is active.”

 

Max walked over to the map on the wall. “Where is he?”

 

“There’s a compound just southeast of the city. It’s an old military bunker. Used to be a shelter for high ranking officers and state politicians against a possible terrorist attack.”

 

Max’s finger stabbed the spot on the map. “I know the place.”

 

“Max, be careful. The bunker is heavily fortified and there are a lot of personnel there. More than just you and Alec can handle alone.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Max said dismissively. “We got friends in on this.”

 

“I’ll keep an eye on the satellite feed. Let you know if reinforcements arrive. Good luck.”

 

“Logan… thank you.”

 

Alec turned away from examining the map. “Dix, get me a close-up of that bunker.”

 

Dix’s fingers flew over the keys. Using the same satellite Logan had hacked into, he magnified the image until the compound filled the screen.

 

“Okay, I want four assault teams plus backup,” Alec ordered, pointing to the locations where he wanted their units. “We’re gonna hit them from all four side simultaneously. Pin those bastards down. I want two sapper teams to go in and lay charges. Once we’ve got them back, we’re gonna blow the bunker wide open.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Mole grinned hungrily, his shotgun propped over one shoulder. “I got just the stuff. Cooked it myself.”

 

“Good,” Alec nodded. “C’mon people. Let’s move out. We got friends to save and a bastard to send to hell.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Eva gently tapped on Joshua’s shoulder, the one that wasn’t bleeding. He hadn’t moved in a really long time. She was starting to get scared. He twitched a little at her touch but didn’t open his eyes. “Please Uncle Joshua, wake up. I wanna go home.”

 

White sauntered over to the cage and crouched down so he could get a good look at Joshua’s huddled form. “What an ugly looking freak,” he said, staring in disgust at Joshua’s mouth and nose. “I’ll be doing it a favour to put it out of its misery.”

 

Eva jumped to her feet, her tiny hands curled into tiny fists. “Leave him alone, you, you… bully!” she shouted.

 

White chuckled nastily. “So you don’t like anyone making fun of your pet, hmm?”

 

“He’s not my pet! And he’s not ugly! He’s better than you! You’re mean and horrible and I don’t like you!”

 

White’s eyes narrowed.

 

“Watch what you say to him, you little freak, or I’ll cut out your tongue,” one of the guards shouted from across the room. The others laughed nastily.

 

“My mommy and daddy are going to find me. And then you’ll be sorry!” Eva stared defiantly up at her captors from between the bars of her cage, her eyes blazing in righteous anger.

 

White smirked. “Oh, I think they’re the ones who’ll be sorry.” He stood and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “It’s time to end this.”

 


	9. Chapter 9

OCTOBER 2025, SEATTLE

 

Max crouched with her team in the long grass outside White’s compound, waiting for Alec’s signal to attack. She was in an agony of impatience. She wanted to race in, guns blazing, and snatch her little girl into her arms. Alec made her promise on Eva’s life to wait until everyone was in position. They were going in as a coordinated attack, hoping to overwhelm White and his men before they could counterattack or harm the hostages.

 

Max felt the cell phone in her pocket vibrate as someone called her number. She answered, dread gripping her heart.

 

“I know you’re out there, 452. If you’re not at my gates in one minute, she dies.”

 

Max ripped her com link off her head, shoved it at the nearest X5, and took off running for the compound gates. Stealth didn’t matter. Surprise didn’t matter. Superior numbers and battle plans and fall back positions didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting there before White pulled the trigger.

 

“Shit!” Alec swore as he saw a familiar figure charge the gates, her long hair streaming out behind her. “Don’t Maxie,” he whispered, “I can’t lose you too.”

 

The gates slid open as Max skidded to a stop. Six guards ran out. Swiftly they surrounded her. She made no move to defend herself, just let them cuff her and drag her inside. The gates shut with an ominous clang.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Max offered no resistance as the enemy soldiers boxed her in and roughly pinned her arms behind her back and slapped cuffs on her wrists. All that mattered was getting to Eva. ‘ _Alec will get us both out of here,_ ’ she promised herself. ‘ _He won’t let White win._ ’

 

The soldiers marched her across the compound yard and into the bunker. They were surprisingly strong. There was something about them that seemed… unnatural. ‘ _Familiars, like White,_ ’ she guessed.

 

They hauled her into a large conference room. White stood smirking in the middle of the room, flanked by five more soldiers. Behind him was a large metal cage. Eva was pressed up against the bars, one skinny arm extended towards Max. “Mommy!” she cried. Joshua lay huddled on the floor of the cage, unconscious and bound hand and foot. He was bleeding heavily from a gunshot wound in his upper left chest.

 

“It’s okay, peanut,” Max said softly. “I’m here.”

 

Eva’s eyes widened. Only her daddy called her peanut. She bit her cheek to hold back a grin. ‘ _Daddy’s gonna save us. Daddy’s a hero._ ’

 

“How touching,” White said mockingly. “Don’t worry. Very soon you’ll all be together. For eternity.” He watched as Max’s eyes flickered around the room, gauging the odds. White snickered. “I don’t believe you’ve met the Phalanx before. They are the tip of the spear, the ultimate in selective breeding. And they will smash your freaky friends to pieces.” He laughed, the manic sound echoing in the hollow room.

 

White turned to the six soldiers who had escorted Max. “Not even 452 and 494 would be foolish enough to come here alone. Take all units and scour the area. Kill any transgenics you find.”

 

The six nodded sharply and moved out, leaving White and his five guards behind.

 

Max smiled grimly to herself. The odds were looking up.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Alec barked his orders into the com link. “Alpha Team is going in. Reserves, take our position. Sapper teams, move out now. The rest of you, wait for my mark.”

 

Alec signalled to his team. They nodded and blurred across the open distance to the compound fence, sticking as much as possible to the shadows. Jumping the fence in one easy bound, they dropped to the ground and lay motionless. There was no response from the bunker.

 

Alec rose and led the way, running in a crouch across the quad to flatten himself against the bunker wall. He pointed to a window and gestured to one of his team. The X5 nodded and moved into position beneath the window. Taking a small tool from his pocket, he bypassed the security wires and popped the latch on the window. It opened and he slid inside. Two seconds later he signalled the all clear and Alec and the rest of the unit slid inside one by one.

 

They were in an office. Alec listened cautiously at the door. He could make out the sound of booted feet marching in their direction. He signalled a warning to his unit and they melted into the shadows. Alec stayed by the door, barely breathing. The boots marched past and turned a corner.

 

“Assault teams,” Alec whispered into his com link, “move into position, now!”

 

He opened the door and his unit slipped soundlessly out of the room, penetrating deeper into the bunker.

 

Alec kept the countdown in his head. When he reached 60, he heard the sound of artillery fire. The assault had begun.

 

They moved swiftly through the building, searching for White and his prisoners. They rounded a corner and found a hallway with a single, heavily fortified doorway in the middle. It was ajar. Cautiously they crept forward.

 

“I know you’re out there 494,” White sing-songed from inside the room. “Show yourself or she dies.”

 

Alec gestured for his men to hold position and then stepped through the door and into the room.

 

“That’s the wonderful thing about family,” White said. “They make such excellent bait.” Max was on her knees in front of White. He gripped her by the hair, his other hand holding a gun to the back of her head. He was flanked by five soldiers. “On your knees, hands above your head.”

 

Alec nodded and slowly started to kneel.

 

Before White or his men could move, the rest of alpha squad dove into the room. They hit the floor, rolled, and came up firing, including Alec. One of the Phalanx took a direct hit to the chest and went down. White and a second Phalanx were hit in the arms. Then there was no more time to shoot as the Phalanx regrouped and charged the transgenics.

 

White’s grip on Max weakened when the bullet slammed into his bicep. Taking advantage, she headbutted him hard in the gut and swept her leg out and around, scooping his feet out from under him and knocking him to the floor. She followed through and kicked the gun out of his hand and then rolled away out of his reach. Sliding her hands past her hips, she got her feet through the circle of her arms so that her cuffed hands were in front on her.

 

She’d just made it to her feet when White tackled her and sent her sprawling. He landed on top of her and pummelled her hard several times in the ribs. She heard one of them break. Lacing her hands together, she swung, catching him in the side of the head. She kneed him in the side and managed to flip him up and over her shoulder. She struggled to her feet, her breathing ragged from the pain of her broken rib.

 

“Pain’s a bitch, innit? Or so I’ve been told. I wouldn’t know, I’m above it,” White sneered.

 

“How about I teach you all about it,” Max snarled.

 

She and White slowly circled each other. All around her she could hear the sounds of fighting but she couldn’t take the time to look and see who was winning. ‘ _Please be okay,_ ’ she sent up a prayer to Alec and Eva and Joshua.

 

White feinted left and then charged. He aimed a leg kick at her and she blocked him clumsily, hampered by her bound hands and broken rib. He spun around her and grabbed her by the back of the head and rammed her forehead into the concrete wall. Blinding pain flared behind Max’s eyes and she stumbled. White pulled her head back to do it again but she managed to get her feet up and out in front of her. She walked up the wall, bracing herself against White for leverage, and flipped herself over his head. As she landed behind him, she slipped the chain on her cuffs tight against his throat. A wrench of her hands and his neck snapped beneath her hands.

 

His lifeless body slumped to the ground, a look of surprise permanently etched on his features. Max blew out a deep breath and looked around her. One of the Xs was down, but so were two of the Phalanx. As she watched, Alec punched his opponent hard in the head and landed a roundhouse kick that sent the guy flying across the room where he smashed into the wall. He crumpled into a heap in the floor and didn’t get up again. Blood smeared the wall from his dented skull.

 

Alec looked across the room at Max. He was bleeding from a cut lip but otherwise seemed unharmed. He saw White lying dead at Max’s feet, his head at an odd angle. Alec bared his teeth in a cold, deathly grin that sent a shiver down Max’s spine. She’d never seen him take delight in bloodshed before.

 

It took her a few seconds to realize the same cold smile was plastered across her own face.

 

Alec turned away to help mop up the remaining fights. It was now two on one.

 

The com link crackled to life. “All packages are now in position. We are good to go,” the sapper team leader said.

 

“Copy that,” said Alec.

 

Max fumbled in White’s pocket for the keys to her cuffs. Setting herself free, she ran for the cage. She wrenched open the door. Eva flew into her arms. Max clutched her daughter tight to her breast.

 

Dimly she heard the sound of a body hit the floor, and then the room was silent. Gunfire echoed from outside. She felt Alec’s strong arms go around them both.

 

Alec held his girls close for a long moment, then reluctantly pulled back. They weren’t out of the line of fire yet. He turned and went into the cage and crouched next to Joshua. The gentle dogman had been shot in the leg and shoulder and he was bleeding from a cut above his eye, but he was alive. As gently as he could, Alec hefted Joshua over his shoulders in a fireman’s hold and carried him out of the room. Max followed, Eva riding piggyback. The other three transgenics followed. One of them carried the unconscious body of their comrade over his shoulder. They didn’t have time to determine the extent of his injuries now. They had to get the hell out of there.

 

“All units, targets are secured. I repeat, targets are secured,” Alec said into his com link. “Prepare to fall back. Packages will be triggered in t-minus 60 seconds.”

 

“Copy that,” all units acknowledged.

 

He led them swiftly out the way they came in. They encountered no resistance on their way out. White’s men were engaged in defending the perimeter from a frontal attack. They had no way of knowing that the transgenics had no intention of coming in after them. They were just trying to keep the Familiars pinned down.

 

They raced for the fence, dodging dead and unconscious Familiars. Max and two of the X5s leapt over first, Eva still clinging to her mother’s back. Alec and the remaining Xs tossed Joshua and the wounded X5 over the fence and into the waiting arms of their friends, and then jumped the fence themselves.

 

“All units, pull out now,” Alec said as he pulled the remote detonator from his pocket. He pressed the button and watched with grim satisfaction as the building exploded and burst into flames.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“He lost a lot of blood and he’s very weak, but he’ll be okay,” the medic said and patted Max on the shoulder. “You can go in an see him. He’s awake.”

 

She nodded and glanced over at Alec. Eva was curled up asleep in his lap. Gently he shifted her body so her head was positioned on his shoulder, and stood. Together they walked through the door into the makeshift medical bay at Terminal City. Joshua was lying on a cot. His shoulder, leg, and head were bandaged, and he was hooked up to an IV.

 

He looked away, shame rendering him unable to meet their eyes. “So sorry, little fella, Alec. Joshua couldn’t stop White.” His lower lip trembled and he made little whining noises in his throat.

 

Max rushed to his side. She took one of his big hands in both of hers. “Shh,” she said, squeezing his hand. “It’s not your fault, big fella.”

 

Alec moved to the far side of the bed and took Joshua’s other hand. “Hey, c’mon now. Don’t start blubbering on us.” He grinned at Joshua.

 

“You and Eva are both safe now. White is dead. He’ll never hurt us again.” Max leaned forward and laid a kiss on his wounded temple. “Now go to sleep,” she ordered. “You gotta get better,cuz Eva’s gonna wanna play with her Uncle Joshua soon.”

 

Joshua grinned shyly and nodded. Obediently he closed his eyes. His breathing evened out. Alec left with Eva, but Max stayed for a few minutes, gently stroking Joshua’s head until he fell asleep. Soon he was snoring.

 

Max snuck out of the room and quietly shut the door. Alec was standing outside the Infirmary building, staring up at the night sky. He reached out to her with one hand. She went to him, their fingers laced together.

 

“I thought it was safe to come back here,” she apologized softly, her voice thick with tears and guilt. “I thought White was gone. Why won’t they leave us alone?”

 

“I don’t know Max. But I won’t let them hurt you or Eva.” He turned to look at her, his eyes dark. “I promise I will keep you both safe.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Senator McKinley strode through the rubble. He kicked aside a piece of metal to reveal the battered and charred body of one of the Phalanx. He snarled and spun to face his assistant. “Find the lab. Find that report. We need to know if that girl is the one we’re looking for. And then find them!”

 

The Familiar nodded and hurried away to oversee the investigation.

 

Senator McKinly stared out across the blacked ruins. “You will pay for this, 452,” he vowed.

 

 

 

 

**Fin.**


End file.
